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greenthumbomaha · November 24, 2018

Bower, if it's any consolation, I only covered half my garlic this year. Its been unseasonably cold and windy, snow is predicted for Sunday. On the asiatics and purple stripe I used leaves that I gathered and shredded (took all day but that is another story) and held them down from the wind with asparagus fern cuttings and flattened tomato cages. I left the porcelains to their own devices, unmuclhed. A little varment already dug a bunch up because I "might" have used a bit of organic fertilizer on the last cloves planted.
I didn't use straw that was available to be out of fear of herbicides and lots of weed seeds.

I can't directly answer your question, but what I am getting at it to me it is better to do nothing than to risk compromising your crop. I don't like the feeling of using a tarp that might keep it a little too wet under there but have no scientific rational to explain this. Someone did this with potatoes and it worked great so I am torn about this method. Hopefully someone can chime in while the option for coverage still exists.

- Lisa

Just curious how large your garlic bed that needs mulch is. Any wood chips available?

November 24, 2018	#22
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Bower, if it's any consolation, I only covered half my garlic this year. Its been unseasonably cold and windy, snow is predicted for Sunday. On the asiatics and purple stripe I used leaves that I gathered and shredded (took all day but that is another story) and held them down from the wind with asparagus fern cuttings and flattened tomato cages. I left the porcelains to their own devices, unmuclhed. A little varment already dug a bunch up because I "might" have used a bit of organic fertilizer on the last cloves planted. I didn't use straw that was available to be out of fear of herbicides and lots of weed seeds. I can't directly answer your question, but what I am getting at it to me it is better to do nothing than to risk compromising your crop. I don't like the feeling of using a tarp that might keep it a little too wet under there but have no scientific rational to explain this. Someone did this with potatoes and it worked great so I am torn about this method. Hopefully someone can chime in while the option for coverage still exists. - Lisa Just curious how large your garlic bed that needs mulch is. Any wood chips available? Last edited by greenthumbomaha; November 24, 2018 at 01:05 AM.